Intercostal catheters such as mediastinal and thoracic catheters are used during surgical procedures to provide for wound drainage after the surgery. For example, the proximal end of a thoracic catheter may be inserted into the patient through the original incision and with the use of forceps or a hemostat pulled through a second incision or stab wound so that the distal end moves into a desired position within the wound area. A drain tube is then connected between the proximal end and a drainage collector. U.S. Pat. No. 3,295,527 describes the use of an intercostal catheter and is hereby inserted herein as a reference for disclosing the method of using an intercostal catheter.
One of the problems related to the use of such catheters is that when the hemostat is clamped against the proximal tip while pulling the proximal end through body tissue toward the outside of the body, the forceps often slips making it difficult to pull the proximal end of the catheter to the outside. This causes repeated clamping of the top and increases the chance of damage to the patient.